Pallet container

Abstract

The present invention describes a pallet container (10) for storing and transporting fluid or flowable filling materials, having a thin-walled, rigid plastics inner container (12) made from thermoplastic plastics material, having a tubular grid frame (14) which tightly surrounds the plastics inner container (12) as a supporting covering and which comprises horizontal and vertical tubular rods (18, 20) which are welded to each other, and having a base pallet (16) on which the plastics inner container (12) is positioned and to which the tubular grid frame (14) is securely connected, wherein at least two rod-shaped transverse cross-members (22) are provided above the plastics inner container (12) and are fixed with the two ends thereof to two mutually opposite side walls in the upper region of the tubular grid frame (14).In order to protect the upper region of the tubular grid frame (14) against a disadvantageous effect of impact loads and transport impacts, there is provision for the transverse cross-members (22) to be constructed as resilient spring elements (24).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A pallet container for storing and transporting fluid or flowable filling materials, the pallet container comprising:
 a thin-walled, rigid plastics inner container made from thermoplastic plastics material; 
 a tubular grid frame which tightly surrounds the plastics inner container as a supporting covering and which comprises horizontal and vertical tubular rods which are welded to each other; and 
 a base pallet on which the plastics inner container is positioned and to which the tubular grid frame is securely connected, 
 wherein two rod-shaped transverse cross-members are provided above the plastics inner container, each of the transverse cross-members being fixed at two ends thereof to two opposing side walls of an upper region of the tubular grid frame, 
 wherein each of the two transverse cross-members comprises one or more first curved portions to thereby form a resilient spring element. 
 
     
     
       2. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a length of each of the transverse cross-members is greater than a straight line extending between the two ends of each corresponding transverse. 
     
     
       3. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the transverse cross-members, when attached to the upper region of the tubular grid frame, extends between a first pair of opposing sides of the tubular grid frame, 
 each of the transverse cross-members, when attached to the upper region of the tubular grid frame, is curved outwardly along a horizontal plane from a central point of tubular grid frame, the central point being on the horizontal plane, and toward one of a second pair of opposing sides of the tubular grid frame, and 
 each of the transverse cross-members is positioned flat on a top of the plastics inner container. 
 
     
     
       4. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the transverse cross-members is attached to the tubular grid frame at a corresponding pair of fixing locations, and 
 a length of each transverse cross-member is between 1% and 5%, greater than a direct distance between the corresponding pair of fixing locations. 
 
     
     
       5. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the transverse cross-members is attached to the tubular grid frame at a corresponding pair of fixing locations, 
 a distance between each pair of fixing locations for is approximately 960 mm, and 
 a length each of the transverse cross-members is approximately 993 mm. 
 
     
     
       6. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the transverse cross-members has a radius of curvature between 300 mm and 700 mm. 
     
     
       7. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each end of each of the transverse cross-members are comprises a compressed portion and an internal thread that is at least partially located in the compressed portions, and the two ends of each of the transverse cross-members is securely screwed the tubular grid frame. 
     
     
       8. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each end of each transverse cross-member comprises an internal thread configured to receive a threaded screw. 
     
     
       9. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each end of the transverse cross-members comprises an end face that is screwed to an upper region of a vertical tubular rod. 
     
     
       10. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the transverse cross-members comprise a second curve that extends in a vertical direction and has a second radius that is smaller than a first radius of the one or more first curved portions, and 
 the end of each transverse cross-member is attached to the tubular grid frame such that an end face of each end abuts an uppermost circumferential horizontal tubular rod of the tubular grid frame. 
 
     
     
       11. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the transverse cross-members has a round tubular profile, a diameter between 16 mm and 24 mm, and a wall thickness between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm. 
     
     
       12. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the transverse cross-members has a square tubular profile, a side length between 14 mm and 20 mm, and a wall thickness between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm. 
     
     
       13. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the transverse cross-members comprises two or more second curved portions oriented in a horizontal plane, each of the second curved portions having a radius that is smaller than a radius of the one or more first curved portions. 
     
     
       14. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the transverse cross-members comprises two second curved portions oriented in a vertical plane, each of the second curved portions having a radius that is smaller than a radius of the one or more first curved portions. 
     
     
       15. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising one or more retaining lugs extending from the plastics inner container, each of the one or more retaining lugs being configured to at least partially receive one of the transverse cross-members to thereby guide the one of the transverse cross-members. 
     
     
       16. The pallet container as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising one or more hook lugs extending from the plastics inner container, each of the one or more hook lugs being configured to at least partially receive one of the transverse cross-members to thereby guide the one of the transverse cross-members.